Thank you I-Belong Community Programs for donating 80 winter care packages!

Nicki Bennett, Founder of i-belong Community Programs, has donated 80 winter care packages so far this winter for Cedar Outreach workers to give out to those most in need in our community.

Josh Burton, Cedar Outreach Manager, and Nicki Bennett, I-Belong Community Programs Founder, in front of the Cedar Outreach van filled with winter care packages.

 Nicki Bennett says she accidentally started the i-belong community program back in 2019. She was waiting for her son to finish working late at Walmart and she saw people gathered outside the shopping center, freezing. Wanting to do something, she started handing out canned food and hand warmers on days she was picking up her son late. This snowballed into running a “Career Closet Clothing Drive” with her workplace. From this drive she gathered 70 bags of clothes for Ishtar Women’s Resource Society and the YWCA to give to women who have escaped violence. The head of the Ishtar Society dubbed Nicki’s newly formed program “i-belong” because he knew Nicki’s motto and drive has always been belonging.

Nicki’s workplace was always trying to give back to the community and involve employees in volunteer experiences, but because Nicki has a son with autism that needs her support, she couldn’t volunteer the way everyone else did. So, she invented her own way that she could give back, by creating i-belong.

“Our motto is ‘spreading kindness, creating belonging, and building community.’” said Nicki. “Anybody can access the programs to support a nonprofit in the community. I just create the programs and if you want to run with them to support a nonprofit in the community, you’re more than welcome to do so.”

 I-belong’s goal for 2022/2023 is to make 1500 winter care packages to give to nonprofits like Cedar Outreach who will hand them directly to people who live outside. Nicki doesn’t plan to do this alone, but is trying to rally her community to pledge to build these care packages to donate to nonprofits themselves.

The “Winter Hope Care Packs” include:

 - Large Ziplock Bag (to hold everything)

- Bottle of Water 

- Pair of Warm Socks (Thermal or Work Socks preferred) 

- Ready to Serve Canned Meal with Pull tab top (so no need for a can opener)

- Cup-A-Soup

- Crackers (like Ritz Sandwich- Cheese Flavour Single Serve) 

- Instant Quaker Oatmeal 

- Dole Fruit Cup

- Fork/Knife/Spoon

- Rice Krispie Square 

- Soft Granola or Cereal Bar 

- Hot Chocolate, single serve/individually wrapped

- Instant Coffee, single serve/individually wrapped

- Tea Bag, individually wrapped

- Juice Box 

- 4 individually wrapped hard candies (like Weather’s Originals) 

- Hot Shots for Hands

- Hot Shots for Feet 

- Kleenex, individual packages

- Huggies No Scent Baby Wipes

If you’re interested in pledging to make a Winter Care Package yourself, connect with Nicki on her LinkedIn page, email her at hello@ibelongcommunity.com, or follow her facebook page: Ibelong Community Programs.

Thanks Nicki for all you do to support our community!